Community Colleges

Many college students become immersed in beer culture when they go to college, but it’s usually not in the classroom. That might be about to change at three North Carolina colleges hoping to offer degrees in craft beer brewing next year.

Former lieutenant governor Walter Dalton waits for approval from the state Board of Community Colleges to become a community college president. The members of the Isothermal Community College Board of Trustees chose Dalton last week to be the school's fifth president. Dalton would succeed Myra Johnson who has been president of ICC for the past six years. Dalton was one of a half-dozen finalists for the position. School spokesman Mike Gavin says Dalton's history with the college could have been a factor in his selection.

Some area community colleges are reporting increased enrollment for the coming semester, among them Durham Tech and Wake Tech. Numbers for Wake Tech Community College are already over 20-thousand with a few days left to register. Wake Tech President Stephen Scott credits the steadily-improving economy to the a surge in enrollment along with class affordability and quality in the programs. Placement, he adds, is nearly 100 percent in many fields of study including medical, IT, and engineering. Scott says part of the success may be due to how the college looks at a technical education.

Dropping out of high school is usually a lifelong ticket to a low-paying job, or worse. As more and more businesses require employees to have at least a high-school degree, those who do not are getting left behind. In response, public schools, community colleges, and universities are creating new ways for drop-outs to re-enter the education system. As part of our American Graduate series, Dave DeWitt tells the story of a student who found one of these new roads to success.

Vice President Joe Biden stopped in the Triad today to stress the importance of community colleges.

Jeff Tiberii: Inside the gymnasium at Davidson County Community College Vice President Biden spoke to about 500 people in front of a Blue banner reading “An America Built To Last”. The Vice President spoke as part of a tour highlighting President Barack Obama's budget pitch to fund community colleges and local businesses working together. He said completing a two-year program has cumulative benefits.

Fiscal agents throughout North Carolina government and the university and community college system gathered in Raleigh yesterday to address fiscal challenges facing the state.

Scott Ralls is President of the state community college system. The recession hit around the time he took the helm.

Scott Ralls: "It certainly has been a challenge, not just because the loss of revenue that has been challenging to budget and prioritize, but also the very significant increase in demand that we simultaneously faced during that timeframe."

The president of the national organization that represents community colleges visited Guilford County yesterday. Walter Bumphus was in the state as part of a national listening tour.

Bumphus included North Carolina in his travels because of the state’s robust and comprehensive community college system. There are 58 community colleges in North Carolina, serving nearly a million students. Scott Ralls is the president of the North Carolina Community College system.

He says the down economy has meant laid-off workers arriving on campuses in droves:

Advocates for people with mental health disabilities are crying foul over a rule proposed by the state board of community colleges to screen students who might be a threat.

The proposed rule has been under consideration since last fall. It would allow community colleges to deny admission to students who are deemed to be an 'articulable, imminent and significant threat.' The rule was approved by the state board Friday.

Megan Hoenk works for the state board of community colleges. She says the rule doesn't mandate anything.